2012-04-17

That's the question that you probably need to be asking in the wake of what's happened this week. A fairly innocuous blogpost by Southwest Edmonton's Wildrose candidate Allan Hunsperger has hit the proverbial fan. Here's what he had to say:

If you were “born this way,” are you going to “die this way?” Well if that is true, and it is, then you have fallen right into the trap that is as old as time. That trap is what satan wants for you – but is that what you want?You see, you can live the way you were born, and if you die the way you were born then you will suffer the rest of eternity in the lake of fire, hell, a place of eternal suffering.

The Board expects all members of our diverse community to be welcomed, respected, accepted, and supported in every school.”Why this from our public educators? Because they believe people were “born this way” and have a right to die this way. The blind leading the blind!Now every Christian school that has come under the Edmonton Public School board will have to adopt this as well. Trapped!For years I have warned Christian educators that you can’t partner with public education because public education is godless.

Immediately Holy Spirit dropped this in my mouth and I said, “You know, I do understand, because I was born the same way. I was born living one way and God expects me to live another way. I can’t do that on my own and that’s why Jesus Christ came so I could be changed.”Warning people to not live the way they were born is not judgment or condemnation – it is love! Accepting people the way they are is cruel and not loving!

There's really nothing particularly crazy or outrageous or new in that. Reverend Hunsperger talks first about the eternal suffering that awaits those who do not live a Godly life. He discusses in an albeit clumsy and roundabout manner the nature of Original Sin, the temptations that can lead men to wicked ways, and the nature of Christ the Redeemer.

That's it. Those asking you to believe it to be full of "hatred for faggots" are going to be profoundly disappointed. It's basic boilerplate Sunday School material written by a man who isn't so much anti-poofter as he is anti-paragraph. The crimes of Sodom and Gomorrah as a temptation to embrace Satan are there, all right, but the more critical part of the Reverend's message is that man is a beast, an animal whose spirit must be tempered to save us from our basic urges (like hitting the key).

But to listen to the lovers of sodomites in the media and the left side of the spectrum, you'd think the sky had fallen. Which takes us, as the left side of the spectrum so often does, to Alison "Red" Redford. Here's what Premier Mom had to say about the blogpost:

"The fact that there are people who think that's a legitimate perspective just absolutely blows my mind," Redford told reporters at a Calgary campaign stop.

"I think they're shocking and I think it goes back to Albertans are about to decide who is going to govern their province. They are going to have to decide who their premier is. They're going to have to decide who the cabinet is," she added.

"If we have people like this making these sorts of comments in Alberta I think it's absolutely wrong and of course I disagree with it."

So to the people of Alberta who believe in homosexuality being immoral (ie. a strong plurality thereof), Red Redford's mind is blown that you exist. Uranist pedophiles and their teacher's union poisoning the minds of your children with their sick views on society? Oh, she's fine with that.

Original sin? Hell as a pit of fire where those who aren't saved by embracing Jesus Christ are condemned to spend eternity? Sexual gratification as a temptation of Satan to corrupt the hearts of men?

"That's absolutely wrong and of course I disagree with it."

So, if you're a member of the Christian (or Muslim, or Jewish) religion, the woman who wants to be Premier of your province thinks that the entire nature of your belief structure is wrong, she disagrees with it, and (as she's said before) she wants to change it -- and you.

For all the talk about Wildrose taking away the special rights for cocksuckers (which, of course, they won't) nobody's really asking the question that this line of attack by the "Progressive" "Conservative" Party begs:

Under a Redford government, will religious people and religious organizations be persecuted?

If you think this is an unfair question, fine: you'll also have to accept that agonizing over whether ass piracy will be possible in a Wildrose government is similarly a foolish question. After all, Red Redford -- who we've seen dictates the will of her government MLAs while Premier -- is of the opinion that at least one Christians faith-held views are not acceptable. Her mind is "blown" that people actually believe sinners go to hell, she cannot fathom somebody who believes in Original Sin being a person to listen to while in government. Take heed to this definition (emphasis mine) of Freedom of Religion from the United Nations (which Redford is proud of working for):

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.